Located in the centre of “Dadu”(the Yuan name for the capital city),the Drum Tower was first built in 1272. At first the tower was named Qing Zheng Lou (or Orderly Administration Tower).After only a few years the tower was burned down in a big fire and then rebuit on the same site in 1297. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)Emperor Yongle ordered that the Drum Tower be rebuilt. This time the tower was placed exactly on the central axis from south to north.